


The Rose Blooming

by ClockStrikesMidnight



Series: This Isn't How It Was Supposed To Go [5]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers - All Fandoms, Thor (Movie)
Genre: A mention of self-harm, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-23
Updated: 2012-07-23
Packaged: 2017-11-10 13:38:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,024
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/466910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ClockStrikesMidnight/pseuds/ClockStrikesMidnight
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's the morning of the last day of ninth grade that Loki gets into an arguement over something stupid with Thor and runs into his room, slamming the door enough to shake the frame and curling into a ball on his bed, holding back the tears as best as he can.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Old Habits Die Hard

**Author's Note:**

> So as the tag says there is a mention of self-harm. Nothing drastic or detailed or anything but I just thought I should warn for that.   
> Also I'm trying to pop out at least one or two of these a day (Crosses fingers) But comments, kudos, etc they really get me excited to write more :D so thank you for the comments and kudos, you guys are great :)

It's the morning of the last day of ninth grade that Loki gets into an arguement over something stupid with Thor and runs into his room, slamming the door enough to shake the frame and curling into a ball on his bed, holding back the tears as best as he can. He can't even remember what his was mad about now, not with his emotions running so high. All he knows is that it's Thors fault.

It's always Thor's fault. Everything that went wrong or is going wrong is because of Thor, and Loki's sure that Thor knows it even if he is a bit thick. Even when Thor and Loki could be considered 'friends', Thor was still the center of Loki's unhappiness, the center of the abyss that he always felt he was thrown into because he could never measure up to _Thor._ Because Thor had it all really, the brawn, the girls, the attitude, everything about him that screamed 'Top Son', and Loki was just the other, let aside, forgotten.

He tries not to remember but the memory forces its way back into his head and once it's there he knows he can't rid himself of it so he digs in his bedside table for single switch blade, swiping across his wrist once, enough so that he can feel the warm trickle pooling in his hand, and puts the blade back. He doesn't look at what he's done, he never has. He knows once he sees it he'll never be able to look away.

He takes in a shuddering breath, happy that he controlled his tears, and stands, walking down the stairs to face the last day of school.


	2. Where Have You Been All My Life?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He knows Thor will drag him to it like he always does. He never understands why.

It's when he's sitting through english that the announcement comes on, blaring through his skull and making him close his eyes in irritation. There will be a dance held tonight from seven to ten for the high school and everyone's invited. Loki sighs. He knows Thor with drag him to it like he always does. He never understands why. The bell rings and he gathers his books, leaving the class room and heading to lunch.

Ever since the encounter with Tony about five months ago they hadn't spoken. Loki sees him around, tries to smile at him or say hello when he's not surrounded by Thor and his friends, but those are very rare to come by. Loki can't seem to get the idea of Tony out of his head. There was nothing exciting about the boy, nothing that screamed at Loki that he needed to become his friend, but there was _something,_ something he couldn't quite put his finger on. Something that would flit into his brain and when he'd try to focus on it, it would run away like a scared animal. But there was something. Something that kept Tony in his brain constantly.

"Hey Loki!"

Speak of the devil.

Loki spins around and tries his best to smile when he sees Tony speed walking towards him, alone. "Hi Tony."

"Hey are you going to the dance tonight?" Tony asks when he's next to Loki, holding a binder and some loose papers. Loki shrugs.

"I'd prefer not to, but my brother seems to believe that I should arrive at social functions," Loki sighed but smiled slightly when Tony let out an easy laugh.

"Yeah that sounds like Thor," he replied absently. "I gotta get to class, maybe I'll see you tonight?"

"You just might," Loki said, watching every care free step Tony takes away from him.


	3. The Way He Looks At You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The way Tony looked at him was the only reason Thor paid any attention.

"Loki come _onnnnn,"_ Thor begs at a quarter after six, forcing Loki to put down his novel and pay attention to his brother. "You have to get out more! You're always alone in your room and you never get involved in anything!"

"That's helping," Loki mumbles, not making eye contact with Thor. "Why do you always insist that I go to these? You never spend any time with me whilst being there, you leave me alone, with no one to talk to and it's mortifying. Can't I just stay home?"

"No!" Thor practically screeches. "I promise you that I won't leave you alone this time," he pauses. "Especially not with Tony around." He adds this quietly, possibly hoping for Loki not to hear. That worked well.

"Whats that supposed to mean?" Loki asks, sputtering slightly in his confusion and forcing himself to look at his brother. "What does Tony have to do with any of this?"

"Come on, Loki, you're smart, you must notice how he looks at you," Thor said.

Loki took a moment, blinking quickly and trying to get a grasp on what Thor had just said. Maybe this was a bad dream. "Well first off, thank you, _dear brother_ , for noticing that I'm smart, and second off, what the hell do you mean, 'you must notice how he looks at you'?"

Thor looked bashful, cracking his knuckles and not focusing on Loki, letting his eyes wonder to the TV that's turned on but no one is watching. "It's just that Tony is known for dating lots of girls - lots of guys too - but it's never anything other than a quick romance then he throws them away."

"Thor I'm in ninth grade, I'm not looking for my soul mate," Loki couldn't help himself from saying.

"I know, but I've never seen Tony look at anyone like he looks at you. Ever." Thor smiled humbly, finally locking eyes with Loki and shrugging nonchalantly.

The way Tony looked at him was the only reason Thor paid any attention.

He supposes now, looking back, it shouldn't have surprised him that much. The first day when Thor brust into Loki's room, shoving Tony onto his bed, that was when Thor began talking to his younger brother again. Until that point they were really nothing but strangers. Loki gets it, he really does, he gets the overprotective brother qualities, he's read enough books to understand it, he's just never thought that _Thor_ of all people would show a single care about how people would percieve him. Let alone little fleeting glances of high school students.

Although Loki never noticed Tonys looks, he sure couldn't ignore his feelings towards the older of the two. Tony was always on his mind, and frankly it scared him that he was focusing so much on the man who he'd barely had a conversation with.

So that's why he's here right now, standing in an over-crowded gym, searching for Tony.


	4. Lights and Friendship

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He pulls him into a hug and he knows right away what he did wrong.

He doesn't understand where the school hides all of its lights. He's been in the deepest parts of the school and has witnessed every single crack and cranny there is in the place and not once does he see lights hidden in a janitores closet or behind the kitchen. _Maybe they're magic lights,_ he thinks to himself as he's still trying to locate Tony.

Thor, shockingly, kept good on his promise for a little while, sticking by Loki's side through the jam packed gymnasium. Even after running into his little squad, consisting of Steve, Clint, Bruce, and Natasha, he kept close to Loki, trying to include him in the conversation. It was only when Loki decided he'd rather go around and look for Tony that he let Thor drop his mask and drift slowly out of the pit of teenagers.

He couldn't find Tony anywhere, he'd been searching for almost a half an hour, and still no sign of his arrival. Loki thought maybe he decided against coming, but that really didn't sound like Tony Stark, especially from the way Thor described him on countless occasions. Darting his head back and forth he thinks he catches a glimpse of a man who looks slightly like Tony walking in the general direction of Thors posse. He trails him with his eyes, watching very closely, trying to make out if it actually is him when he feels a hand on his shoulder and swears that he jumps a good foot.

"You came!" He hears shouted in his ear over the loud music. Loki spins around and finds Tony right behind him, his face a good three inches from his own.

"Don't scare me," Loki says, loud enough so that Tony can hear, but not loud enough for any passerbys to.

Tony laughs. "Sorry. You wanna get to a quieter place?"

Loki nods enthusiastically and tries his best to not pick up the subtle whiff of alcohol in Tonys breath. Tony grabs his wrist and pulls slightly, causing Loki to flinch at the pain of the newly healed scar, directing him through the crowd and out of the sight of two teachers who are too busy watching everyone else to notice when the two boys slip out of the gym and towards the darker hallways, just far enough that the music is a whisper in the background.

"Better?" Tony asks, sitting down and laying his back against the wall of lockers, watching Loki sit next to him.

"Much," Loki replies, not looking at Tony. "Are you just getting here?"

Tony shook his head. "Nah, I've been here since it started I just didn't see anyone who I wanted to talk to." He glances over at Loki for a quick second before turning his head away.

Loki doesn't know what makes him say this, why on Earth he thinks that this is an opprotune moment to say this, but he does all the same. "I've been looking for you."

That gets Tonys attention.

He turns his head back to Loki with widened eyes and mouth slightly agape. "Really?" He asks as if he thinks Loki's joking.

"No. Of course, yes. You're the only reason I came," Loki says, catching the way Tonys exaiming his entire face and smiles slightly. "You didn't think I actually came because Thor asked me to did you?"

Tony smiles. "No, I just didn't expect your reason to be me."

"And why not?"

"I dunno, you're just, I guess, I never expected you to, you know, care about me?" Tony ends the rambling on at a question and Loki can't stop the small, completely unmanly giggle that erupts through him.

"I never expected myself to either," Loki says and he pulls Tony into a hug and he knows right away what he did wrong. He went and let himself want to be something with Tony Stark. Its awkward at first, Loki's skinny arms not quite fitting around Tonys broad back, but then he feels the other mans arms around his back and he relaxes, leaning his chin on Tony's shoulder. Quickly Tony pulls him back, smiling widely at Loki. "What's so amusing?"

"You hugged me."

"And?"

"And I'm surprised."

"Why's that?"

Tony leans in and kisses him on the nose, and Loki can feel the smile on his lips as he does so. And damn hormones, but he pulls Tony down and kisses him full on the lips, not caring at all about anything now except for the taste of Tony against him. Tony makes a surprised noise and Loki can feel the smile again before he smells the alcohol that makes him pull away.

"Are you drunk?" Loki accuses.

"Why do you keep asking me that?" Tony murmurs, leaning his forehead against Lokis.

"Because I smell vodka," Loki says, pulling away from Tony to glare at him.

Tony smiles softly, causing Loki to ease up on the icy stare. "I'm not drunk, Loki. I had one shot before I came here, that's it."

He thinks about this for a while. Hes never known, or been friends, or hell, spent time _kissing,_ a person who drinks underage and he doesn't know how he feels about it. He knows that its wrong of course and irresponsible and in his opinion a little gross, but he also can understand why someone might be compelled to do it. He of all people should be able to explain the compelling arguement alcohol puts up when he's upset.

"Okay," he says and leans back against the locker again, enjoying the presence of Tony and the quiet hum of _Somebody That I Used To Know_ playing in the background.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Looking for an opinion here, do you guys think I should change it up for a bit and go with Tony or possibly Thors POV for a little while or do you like it as Loki? Drop me a preference :)


End file.
